Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-01
DAILY HERALD.
R. PORTER ASHE.
The Struggle for His
Child, Alma,
POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY
The Aristocratic Parties in Court.
Sheriff Rays Made the Gus
todian of the Child.

The HERALD yesterday gave an ae-
count OF the attempt Of r. Porter Ashe
to get possession of delicious little
three wear old bit OF humanity named
Alma. whose last name is Ashe and who
is hostage to fortune brought into this
world of sorrow through the union OF
r. Porter Ashe and Miss May G..
Crocker. 1he writ of habeas corpus
applied for had been made returnable
before Judge Gardiner at 2 o'clock and
in the meantime the little girl was nice
ly taken care of by her father at the St.
Elmo. By some means or other lot OF
questionable detectives had been en-
ployed to watch the apartments of MIR.
Ashe aud see that he did not spirit the
child away. The following will show
how vigilant the socalled officers were;
AN ALLEGED ATTEMPT.
Yesterday morning about half past
IL o'clock, Porter Ashe descended the
stairs of the st. Elmo hotel with his
daughter Alma, in charge of the nurse.
While the party was on it's way to the
carriage which was in waiting to take
them out for q drive, man, who had
evidently been on tho watch for them,
stepped up and asked If the little girl
was Miss Ashe. Upon ascertainiDg
that it was, he said that he had been
ordered not to let the girl be taken out
of the hotel. This being contrary to the
order of the court, Mr.. Ashe was quite
indignant, aud questioned the authority
of the supposed officer. The man said
he had been placed there by Capt. Tyler,
of the Police, and after some further talk
Porter Ashe went TO the tffce Of his
attorney, X. +. Del Vale. while The
man who had stopped him went to the
Police Station. Under Sheriff Mitchell
was informed of what was going on and
in few moments the whole party ex-
cepting little Alma and Sidney Ashe were
congregated in the Police Station, where
1t was ascertained that the
man was not an officer. He
gave tho name of M. T. Bowler
aud said he had been placed there by
Captain Tyler, but he had not been
sworn in. Under Sheriff Mitchell said
that he had no right to interfere in any |
case with the fathers possession OF the |
child, since the court had given it to |
him until 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Mr.. Ashes attorney, when he found
that Bowler was not an officer, wanted |
him put under arrest and tried to get |
out warrant in Justice Austn's court,
but there was such press OF business
there that he decided TO 60 to Justice
Taney' court. 1t appeared shortly af-
ter that Bowler had mistaken bis orders
received from those representing Mrs.
Ashe, which were simply to watch to
see that the child was not spirited away.
Upon this statement being made, no
complaint was sworn out and the matter
was dropped. In the meantime Sidney
Ashe had taken his niece in the carriage |
and bad gone on pleasant drive to
Washington Gardens. and this started
the rumor that she had been taken
away. Captain Tyler stated that he
had given Bowler no orders, but the at
torneys for Mrs. Ashe had applied to him
for two policemen to watch, and he did not
consider that the business of the police
department so he refused to let them be
used in that connection. They then
asked if they knew a good man to watch
and he recommended Bowler as trusty.
faithful man, as he was. He had taken
Bowler to them and there his connection
with the matter ended. There was
enough evidences brought TO bear on be-
hall of Bowler to show that it was sim
ply case Of mistaken orders, aud when
this was made clear, the prosecution in.
tended 10 be instituted for impersonating
an off ,er was dropped.
While MIR. r. T. Ashe was at the po-
lice station lie was served with war
rant charging him with carrying con.
cealed weapons. This grew out OF the
trouble on Friday, the history of which
has already been given. A similar war
rant was also Issued against his brother
Sidney Ashe. The trial of these charges |
will come up on Monday morning before
Justice Austin.
THE PARTIES ARRIVE.
Shortly after IL o'clock Mrs. 4. b.
Crocker and Mrs. r. Porter Ashe, &C.
by attorneys Thomas B. |
b shop and j. o. B. Gum, of San Fran
cisco, arrived in the city. These parties
went to luncheon, and did
not meet Mr.. Ashe and lunch with him,
as an evening paper states. This is en-
tirely incorrect, and it is difficult to see |
how the paper should have been led into |
such an error. Mr.. and Mrs. Ashs did |
not speak during yesterday.
Shortly before 2 o'clock Sidney Ashe |
came down stairs and entered a carriage |
in front Of the st. Elmo. Sheriff kays |
stood near the carriage. Presently MIR.
Ashe came down with little Alma in his
arms. He put the little cherub in the |
carriage, and becoming inpatient at the |
delay of the nurse, Marie, alias Bridget |
Ryan, started back to hurry her up
Little Alma cried, "Papa! Oh, papal
Don't leave me-" and began to weep.
Mr.. Ashe returned, and the baby seemed
to be perfectly delighted.
Soon the nurse arrived, and the car
riage started to the Court House. TWAS
followed by another carriage, contain
ing Emil Harris, Martin Aguirre and
John Horner, all of whom looked a little
ashamed of themselves, and wondered
what they were there for.
IN COURT.
Mr.. Ashe, Alma and the other parties
mentioned, went to the Chambers OF
Judge Gardiner, and the Courtroom
rapidly filled with curious crowd.
Mrs. Crocker, Mrs. Ashe, Mrs. Bender,
Miss Dillman and the attorneys soon en-
tered. The Judge then took his place
on the bench, and the Ashe party
came in.
Judge Brunson, of counsel for peti.
tioner, asked that the case be postponed
until 4 O'Clock, and that in the mean.
&c H., ha
awarded to its grandmother, Mrs. Il. b.
Crocker. Every lawyer on each side
delivered himself of few legal phrases,
and Hon. II. T. Gage and Hon. h. B
Terry had little tilt on the respective
merits of sections 246 and PA
as to who should have charge of
aminor child. Judge Gardner said that
he would leave the child in the custody,
Of the Sheriff, to be kept in the court
room and to be produced at o'clock,
80. ~..t:.a 10 baya aooaoa f, ~ Mr.